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Whatever You
Bind
On Earth
Shall Be Bound
In Heaven
June
29, 2008
The Solmenity of Saints Peter and Paul
By Philip D. Ropp |
In
today’s
gospel reading from Matthew chapter 16, Jesus poses a loaded question
to his
disciples: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" Their
answer
shows us that Jesus, to this
point in his earthly ministry, has been a pretty mysterious figure. Some say he is John the Baptist, raised from
the dead. Some say he is none other than
the prophet Elijah, returned from heaven. Others
say that he is Jeremiah or one of the other great
prophets
miraculously manifested within their midst. No
one seems to really know what to make of him, but they
are clearly
willing to acknowledge that this Jesus is someone different. Someone beyond their comprehension: Someone holy and special.
Even this expression, “Son of Man,” which is
the most common term in the gospel that Jesus uses to describe himself,
is
loaded with deeper meaning. He does not
say, “son of men,” denoting an earthly personage, but “Son of Man,”
conveying the idea of a being who is of this earth yet from beyond the
realm of
this human existence. Someone in the
flesh yet above its temptations: Someone surpassing human limitations
in order to
reach the full human potential. Man, the
perfected creation, truly reflecting the image of his Creator. Man, the
next
generation, if you will.
So far,
Matthew has told us that Jesus was born in
fulfillment of the ancient prophecies concerning a great king who was
to arise
from the tribe of Judah;
a
ruler whom God would call to “Shepherd my people Israel.” He has been baptized by John and proclaimed
much more than an earthly king by God himself when a voice spoke from
heaven
and proclaimed, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus has been tempted by the devil with all
of the magnificent kingdoms of the world and has denounced Satan with
scripture, “The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall
you
serve.” He has called common men to be
his disciples and they have left everything to follow him.
He has blessed the multitudes, fed them and
taught them the deepest things of life. He
has cleansed the lepers, healed the sick, raised the
dead, cast out
demons, rebuked the winds and seas, and walked upon the water. He has fulfilled the most ancient and
profound of prophecies and proclaimed God’s kingdom to be at hand, yet
the
religious leaders have come to him and demanded a sign from heaven. They have demanded that he answer their
question in no uncertain terms: “Who are you?” They
have demanded that he submit to their authority and
prove
himself. Jesus refuses.
He tells them instead, “An evil and
unfaithful generation seeks a sign.”
Now, Jesus takes
the disciples to Caesarea Philippi
and he poses this question to them, “Who do people say that the Son of
Man
is?” And while the people are ironically
more astute in their understanding of who Jesus is then are their own
religious
authorities, they also fail to grasp the true significance of who Jesus
is and
what his presence means. And so, Jesus
asks the disciples, “But who do you say that I am.”
And mustering the courage that the others
lack, it is Simon Peter who boldly speaks in reply, “You are the
Christ, the
Son of the living God.”
Because God has revealed this most profound truth
to Peter, it is he that will lead the Church. Because
he has boldly professed the truth of Christ, it is
he that is
given the very keys to the kingdom of heaven. And
because he holds these keys, whatever he binds on
earth shall be
bound in heaven, and whatever he looses on earth shall be loosed in
heaven. Along with awesome knowledge
comes awesome power. Along with awesome
power comes awesome responsibility. Along
with awesome responsibility comes awesome potential.
And this awesome potential is no less
profound than to become as Christ himself and overcome our own human
weakness
and limitations that we might live forever with him within this
heavenly
kingdom that has been unlocked for us.
The 16th
chapter of Matthew closes with
Jesus, after this profound revelation of who he is, instructing the
disciples
in what it means. It means the cross,
and so he tells them of the horrors that lie ahead for him in Jerusalem. And it is from this point onward in Matthew’s
gospel that
the shadow of
the cross falls upon the path of Jesus and he proceeds toward it with
unfaltering steps. And he tells the
disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up
his
cross, and follow me.”
Today, Jesus has
come to us and he poses the same
questions: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” And
the world today answers differently
perhaps, but also incorrectly. “A Jewish
sage,” some say. “A peasant
philosopher,” say others; or, “A well meaning teacher.”
And so, he turns to us: we who profess our
faith in him; we who claim to be his disciples today; and he poses the
same
question to us that he did to the original Twelve, “But who do you say
that I
am?” And the question for us is who
among us is bold enough to stand as Peter did and proclaim for all to
hear,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And
who among us is courageous enough to deny
himself, pick up his cross and follow him to Calvary?
In Acts chapter
12, we read of Peter’s miraculous
deliverance from prison. We read about
an angel who appeared to him in the degradation and misery of his own
incarceration at the hand of King Herod and struck the chains from his
wrists
and set him free. Because he boldly
professed his faith in Christ, because he was willing to follow Jesus
to Calvary, and because the Church
prayed fervently on his
behalf, he was set free. Those of us
here today who are also bold enough to stand before Jesus and proclaim
as did
Peter, “You are the Christ, the Son of Living God,” are also set free. If we are bold enough to profess Christ; if
we have faith enough to confess our own iniquities and bear our cross
to
Calvary; if we can weep in true repentance at his blood, shed for us
that we
might live; and if we can recognize and accept the prayers of those
that pray
fervently on our behalf; then we will have the shackles of our sin
struck from
our wrists and be set free: Free from
not only the earthly incarceration we have brought upon ourselves, but
from the
ultimate prison of death brought upon us by our human bondage to sin.
Should we bind
ourselves to sin on earth, heaven
will recognize these bonds. Should we
loose these bonds through profession of our undying faith in Jesus
Christ, who
takes away these sins, then we shall find them loosed in heaven as well
forever. The keys of St. Peter dangle
before us. Profess Jesus Christ is Lord
and the unlocked gates of God’s kingdom swing open.
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June 29, 2008
Acts
12:1-11
In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to
harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.
On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
“Get up quickly.”
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, “Put on your belt and your sandals.”
He did so.
Then he said to him, “Put on your cloak and follow me.”
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
“Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting.”
34:2-3,
4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
2
Tm 4:6-8, 17-18
I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.
The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Mt
16:13-19
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly
Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
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